Ilddyrking is the debut album from Norwegian Viking/black metal outfit Blot and it is an impressive first release from the band.
Admittedly you won’t find any real surprises on the album, and Blot’s music doesn’t quite manage to set itself apart from other bands in the scene, but it is a very solid and well-constructed album that is a very powerful listen. Each song has been meticulously constructed and the flow of Ilddyrking can’t be faulted, with each song progressing tremendously from one to the next and it makes for engaging listening – Blot certainly knows how to captivate their listeners with each twist and turn in the songs.
A particularly strong track on the release is the mini epic Blot, with the song itself featuring a variety of different styles and ideas that blend perfectly together. The introduction is long but it’s not drawn-out, and sets the atmosphere perfectly for the vocals to kick in as it starts with a headbangingly-good heavy guitar line before progressing into a slightly softer section in time of the vocals to start. It then feels like all hell breaks loose, with a very energetic section that almost feels like the vocals and instrumentation are battling with each other for dominance! And with a tremendous guitar solo for good measure, this is a track that you’ll remember for all the right reason.
It’s clear that Blot have mastered the art of writing powerful and hard-hitting tracks, and Ilddyrking is a great listen, but with their next release it would be great to see the band be a little more adventurous and try a few new things.
7/10
